Bengaluru: Sitting Tumakuru MP and Congress leader S P Muddahanumegowda, who was denied a ticket as the constituency was allocated to the JDS, has refused to change his decision to contest as an independent candidate.

On Sunday night, DCM Dr G Parameshwara spoke to him for over one hour to try and convince him. However, he told the DCM that he has been humiliated and therefore he will fight in the court of public opinion by contesting in the elections.

“From Tumakuru, JDS supremo H D Devegowda is contesting as the alliance candidate. He is relying on the Vokkaliga votes, while the BJP has fielded a Lingayat. If S P Muddahanumegowda does not change his decision, the Vokkaliga votes will get split, making way for Devegowda’s defeat,” said a JDS leader.

“We asked DCM Parameshwara to ensure that Muddahanumegowda will not be in the poll fray,” he added.

According to sources close to Muddahanumegowda, he will file his nomination papers on Monday.

Meanwhile, H D Devegowda has informed that he decided to contest from Tumakuru only after requests made by senior Congress leaders from the district, DCM G Parameshwara and former minister T B Jayachandra.

Congress sources, however, say that these leaders met Devegowda to request him to leave the constituency to the Congress.